Safety snap-hook



WW6") n. Y. WILSON.

SAFETY SNAP HOOK. No. 495,237. Patented Apr. 11, 1893.

WiflJQSSQS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID Y. \VILSON, OF GUM TREE, ASSIGNOR ONE-HALF TO ENOCH P, MOORE AND SAMUEL T. MOORE-OF PARKERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY SNAP-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,237, dated April 11, 1893.

Application filed February 14, 1893. Serial No. 462.306. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, DAVID Y. WILSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gum Tree, in the county of Chester and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Safety Snap-Hook, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety snap-hooks particularly arranged and adapted for use in connection with trace-chains, and it has for- 7 inafter described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of portions of a trace-chain or other device, showing the improved hook in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the hook, showing a portion of the casing removed. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view ofthe hook proper and the spring engaging the same detached and disconnected from each other.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a hollow casing, having an eye 2 at the rear end thereof for the purpose of attaching the same to a chain or other device, and at the front end thereof is bifurcated to form an entrance slot or mouth 3. At one side of the under edge of the casing, an open-' through which is passed a pivot-pin 7, to pivotally support the said hook 5 within the said casing. The front end of the hook is formed with a shouldered nose 8, in rear of which is situated a slot 9, and in rear of the said slot 7 is a lug 10. The nose 8 and the slot 9 are normally positioned in the slot 3 of the casing, and the front end of the nose is beveled, so that when a ring or link of a chain is pressed into the said slot 3 it raises the nose 8 and enters the slot 9 ofthe hook 5 and is held against detachment by the said shouldered nose. Aflat spring of elliptical form, as at 11, loosely surrounds the hook 5 and bears against the interior walls of the casing 1 and tends to hold the nose 8 closed across the slot 3 of the said casing 1. It will be understood that in opening the nose, or moving the same to open the slot 3, that said movement will be made against the resistance of the said spring 11, and said resistance will be very rigid owing to the fact that the longer arm of the spring bears against the hook 5, adjacent to the nose 8, and is of bowed form, as fully shown. The lug 10 projects through the opening 4 in the casing and is arranged in this manner for the purpose of providing convenient means for pressing the hook or nose 8 upwardly to open the slot 3 for the purpose of detaching the chain,lin k, or ring when so desired. j

It will be seen thatthe parts of the improved hook are thoroughly protected by being tightly inclosed within a box casing and are therefore shielded and prevented from coming in contact with exterior adjacent objects or devices, whereby accidental movement of the hook proper will be prevented, and the parts of the device will be protected from the influence of the weather and atmosphere.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is- In a safety snap-hook, the combination of .a box casing'having a slot extending inwardly the one edge of the said casing, and an elongated flat springloosely surrounding and bear- 7 ing at its outer end on the upper edge of the said hook proper, adjacent to the nose thereof,

and surrounding the pivotal portion of the said hook, and bearing against the interior portion of the casing at its opposite end, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signaturein to the presence of two Witnesses.

DAVID Y. WILSON.

Witnesses:

MARIs M. BAILEY, J. A. JOHNSON. 

